r/foodstamps

Louisiana: EBT benefits can only be used in-state, out-of-state purchases will be blocked

“Starting May 26, LA SNAP recipients will only be able to use their EBT cards for purchases made within the state and in ZIP codes adjacent to the state border. Cardholders who shop at LA stores and through approved online retailers will not be affected.”

I was under the impression they can’t do this because it is a federal program, but…?

Starts on 5/26/26, so right at the start of next week.

Be advised!

Me and my wife used to get the full 547, but now we are getting 345 I think. And its because she has had to go to work. I'm exempt from the work requirements and she just got exempt but it's a part time that doesn't pay that much. (250-300 each paycheck biweekly) I'm not looking for answers or solutions. I'm just a little peeved by the system not even trying to help get us out of our situation. Because it's made to keep people in poverty

I could go on and on about the system and sh*t but that's not for this subreddit

So times are hard and we fell into living with my in law who pay on a mortgage. We pay our dues and etc but they will not write up anything to due to worries about it effecting their mortgage. So I would like to know is this true? Is there ways around it?

I live in Utah, and I don’t want my landlord to know I am applying for SNAP. Is it possible to show bank statements for rent if I already submitted my lease agreement? Do they normally have alternative options?

Been job searching since January but I am a 21 year old with job experience and nobody wants to hire me and I need food but ofc when I’m trying to get up on my feet it’s gets cut off but if I have a job I qualify and I was cut off bc of able bodied act who else is struggling with a similar situation (this was mostly a rant and seeing if anyone else is going though a similar situation and your input on this)

Alright, so, this is my first time using any EBT in my life.

I am very confused about the Authorized Food List. They have lists of approved products, but some of them aren't listed. Does that mean I can get it? Example being great value bread from Walmart. That's not listed as either approved or disapproved. They say brown rice and not white rice but there are also other types of rice?

What if I make a purchase that isn't listed and it disqualifies me?

Looking for an experienced EBT user who may understand what I'm talking about. How strict is the program? I kind of need this right now and I don't want to make a bad move and lose this blessing.

They also mentioned you can't do individually wrapped cheeses but then approve prepackaged cheese so what is the difference there? And premade meals; do they mean frozen meals or the "meal plans" people buy that get shipped to your house? What is considered a premade meal?

I am genuinely just confused, so I am seeking someone more educated on this.

They mention whole grain breads and pastas are approved, but don't have "DO NOT" for any other type of pasta or bread (such as non wheat). Can I even shop at Walmart if it's not listed? I go there since everything is cheap.

Thank you to anyone who is taking the time to read this, and respond. You are appreciated.

I live in Maine.

I just completed my annual renewal for SNAP and Mainecare 2 weeks ago, I did the interview and got the Notice of Decision that I was approved. The woman on the phone said I was all set till my next annual next June 2027 (apart from the 6 month recert). Today I recieved a notice in my portal that I need to complete my annual renewal by the end of June or Ill lose my benefits. Could she have made a typo and put june 2026 instead of 2027? I tried calling right when I got the notice and waited 3 hours on hold till the call center closed. Now I have to wait till monday to try again. Will they believe me that I already finished the process and that there must be some error in their system?

A while ago I saw about the new cards out in a couple months and how we needed to download the app. I saw the reviews are 1.9 and so many people can't get it to work. Replies are that it only works for a few states right now.

Then I get an email saying I can no longer use the old EBT site I was using and have to register with the new one. So I did. Made a login, did the security questions, for to the account linking. Put the right info in over and over. Says invalid every time. I saw posts a year ago saying our 0000 or 9999 for the SSN spot and it worked. It doesn't now.

Is the site still glitchy? Is it a known issue? I got the app with the egg icon and can log in there too but still says invalid if I try to link my card. I have seen a few people in Facebook with this issue as well. Trying to find out some I do about it.

Edit: Finally worked! See my comment below for caregiver card issue that was fixed as well.

Basically the agent said she will resechedule but she isnt sure one month penalty wont be administered. I got the letter stating it will be unless i have a reason. Well i saw that working own biz is one of the things. Over the last two months ive put in 60 hour weeks working on a project w ai that i plan to charge musicians for. I also dont have a car.

I submitted that info but the letter came the benefits would stop for a month. And that until june i can still change the situation if smth changes

What do i do right now? How do the benefits work after a month of not being available, do i have to reapply? I have a phone meeting on june 24 w the agent.

I could ask my neighbour if i can use her can and sign up for lyft - could i submit this info or i wont have enough time until iune?

I was told by a social worker that it’s possible to withdraw cash from an atm with my EBT card. I live in the Seattle area of Washington state. Does anyone know what banks allow EBT cash withdrawals? Thanks!

EDIT: my benefits are part of the ABD program

Florida btw. This is just out of curiosity and I’m grateful I got approved in the end, so I did my phone interview earlier this month and then a couple days later I get the letter on my account stating I was denied because I made too much money, I make $1901 month and a full time college student with two kids, and my IRT says I can’t make over $2,888.00. Okay so obviously I don’t make too much money, so I applied again right after and on the little note section towards the end of the application, I said along the lines of “why did I get denied? I’ve had the same income for the last year or so and it was never denied then and also had the same bills that never changed, and my income doesn’t go over the IRT” and I was expecting another phone interview but fast forward to today, I see I got another letter and I was approved for the same amount that I’ve been getting. So yeah just out of curiosity why does one caseworker deny you but another one will approve you?

I am enrolled at my community college part time doing pre reqs and planning on applying to a radiology program.

I have ADHD and am apart of the Disability Support Program for my college. Currently not working so I can focus on school. School was always pretty difficult for me so I made sure to save before quitting my last job.

I saw that if you are part of a Disability Support Program Services at a college you can get waived for the ABAWDs. Does anyone know if this is true?

I know I may not qualify for the student section since I am not under a “general program” of higher education such as an associates or bachelors

Located in California .

Hello,

I tried to do my SAR 7, half a year(?) verification, over the phone and they asked me how I pay rent since my school aid alone doesn't cover enough. I pay with my chapter 35 VA benefits which I disclosed during the original interview and disclosed to the person I was speaking to

I think my original case worker maybe put it in wrong? Or just didn't put in at all that I receive those benefits during school semesters

I THINK it's not counted as income, my original case worker stated this (though she could be wrong) and the bit of research I've been doing mentions similar, that it's not counted

But during the over the phone SAR 7 I'm not sure if my information on file was incorrect or I was in the wrong or we misunderstood each other or what, but this new caseworker was basically saying it is income and I need the paperwork to approve it and see if your previous months calfresh amount needs to be changed based on how much you received

I mean I can probably get the paperwork, I'm not against that, I'd prefer to eat after all lol, I no longer have the original copy of my rates so hopefully calling up the VA will give me a new copy, but I guess more so my question is

Is it income?

I know this information is extremely state dependent and VA stuff can be a bit tricky, so thank you to whoever answers!

Can I get my landlord to write a letter on how much rent I pay cause I give him cash and I’m not leasing . To give to the food stamp people asking for a lease

I have been having a lot of issues recieving my snap benefits. This might be a long read, but im not really sure what to do at this point.

In April, I moved out of my boyfriends home with our two children. I don't think all the details of what happened that day are relevant, but it led to me file an emergency dvp order, which was granted two weeks later, so I have custody of the children now.

I went up to my local DHHR on April 29th to change my benefits. We were previously due for a review on May 5th, before we moved out. They had me reapply all together with my children at our new address. The worker told me I was approved and I would get a new card in the mail in 10days (ex had old card).

Well on May 12th, his sister messaged me and told me he got ebt benefits and the kids and I are listed on it. I went back up to DHR the next day. It took several hours, the worker said we dont know what happened, but we fixed it and you should expect your card in the mail in 10 days. They were not clear on if he got my stuff in the mail, or if a card was even sent out at all.

I probably shouldn't have done this, but I logged into our old snap account as I still rembered the username and password. He got $997 in ebt for May and had already spent down to $231. For just himself.

I waited a little bit, sure they would fix it, but kept getting letters in the mail stating that I was denied because we already receive the benefits.

I called the 1800 help line, I kept getting the run around and gave different numbers to call anytime id ask them how is this fair? How is this not fraud?

The last person I spoke to said the reason he got our benefits this month, was because I applied too late in april, and the may benefits had already been determined. She wouldn't answer my question: How is that when if let's say i didn't move out, we had that review for May, the letter said if we didnt do the review we would not get benefits? She basically said thats just how it is, I should just try to call him and ask him to share the benefits with us, even though we are not allowed any contact. And that my benefits won't change over until June, and that I cannot request a replacement card until I have benefits on June 1st. Then I have to wait 10days for it to come in the mail.

I tried calling up to my local dhhr again today to ask for a supervisor, they said they dont do that and transfered me to my worker who didnt answer like always.

So wtf am I supposed to do?

hi! I had a welfare fraud investigator come to my home and wanted to do a residence check. my sister was there and said I didn’t live there but that I would visit a lot. he called me and asked about it I said I used to stay there but more temporary but moving back to a prior address and I also told them I started a job 3 days ago and no longer need cal-works or ebt. i never got calworks. just received one month of aid from ebt. he told my sister I’m not in trouble and over the phone he told me I’m ok and he will report back to the welfare office now I’m worried I’m going to get in trouble. I did submit documentation before he even came to my mom’s house through the portal to withdraw my application is what I requested but I guess they never saw it. I never been in this situation and i dont have a record. am i in trouble?

I just was approved for food stamps and I was wondering what kind of basic guidelines there are for food stamps? I’m fairly certain each state has different requirements/rules for specific things you can and can’t buy and how it works on checkout and such. I’m autistic and any research I’ve done has been super unclear for me and I’m left very confused. Could someone kinda explain to me how it works? Do you use the card you get kinda like a debit card when you go to check out? What specifically can and can’t I buy? And are there any specific state rules I should know?

Thanks for the help